JP2013114273A - Portable information terminal and a method of assembling transmission panel of portable information terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase a shape flexibility of a transmission panel in a display unit of a portable information terminal while preventing it from being deformed by operation, thereby achieving high quality.SOLUTION: A neutral axis C1 located at the center of a transmission panel 31A with respect to its thickness direction is designed to have an arc shape convex toward the outside of a portable terminal 10A. A front case 34 that supports the transmission panel 31A has an abutment surface 34c abutting an outer circumferential end face 31a of the transmission panel 31A. This prevents the transmission panel 31A from deforming in a direction toward its outer periphery to increase the rigidity of the transmission panel 31A, thereby preventing it from deforming in a direction perpendicular to its front surface 37.

Description

  The present invention relates to various portable information terminals including a mobile phone, and a method for assembling a transmissive panel of the portable information terminal, which includes a touch panel display unit.

  2. Description of the Related Art There are so-called touch panel types that can perform various operations of a mobile terminal by touching a display screen of a monitor in various mobile information terminals including a mobile phone (hereinafter appropriately referred to as a mobile terminal).

  As described in Patent Document 1, such a touch panel type portable terminal has a light-transmitting transmissive panel that forms a monitor surface, and information that is arranged on the back side of the transmissive panel and displayed on the monitor. A panel-like touch sensor that has a monitor main body such as a liquid crystal panel to be generated and senses a touch operation by a user is disposed between the transmission panel and the monitor main body.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a specific structure of such a touch panel type portable terminal.
As shown in FIG. 7, the portable terminal 1 forms an outer shell by a housing 2 that is open on one side and a transmissive panel 3 that is fitted in the opening of the housing 2. A monitor main body 5 is held in the internal space of the housing 2 via a frame 4. The outer peripheral part of the transmissive panel 3 is fixed to the opening of the housing 2 via an adhesive 6 or the like. A panel-like touch sensor 7 is adhered to the back side of the transmissive panel 3 with an adhesive material 8 or the like.

  In such a configuration, when the user touches the transmissive panel 3 with a finger or a touch pen from the surface side, the touch sensor 7 detects the pressed position, and the mobile terminal 1 executes a predetermined operation according to the pressed position. To do.

  Here, as a material for forming the transmissive panel 3, glass is excellent in strength but has a problem in the degree of freedom in shape. When it is necessary to process in a complicated shape such as a part where the transmissive panel 3 is fixed to the housing 2, the transmissive panel 3 is formed of a resin material such as polycarbonate or PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate), and a desired shape is formed by injection molding or cutting. Like to get.

JP 2008-102512 A

  However, since the resin material has lower rigidity than the glass material, when the user touches or presses the transmissive panel 3 for operating the mobile terminal 1, the transmissive panel 3 bends in a direction perpendicular to the surface thereof. May end up. From the user's point of view, this bending may feel that the rigidity of the transmissive panel 3 is insufficient and the quality of the portable terminal 1 is low.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable information terminal having a high degree of freedom in shape and having high quality by suppressing deformation during operation, and a method for assembling a transmission panel of the portable information terminal.

The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems.
That is, the present invention is provided between a display panel that displays image information, a light-transmitting transparent panel, and the transparent panel and the display panel, and detects that a touch operation has been performed on the transparent panel from the outside. A touch sensor, a display panel, a touch sensor, and a transmissive panel that are housed in a stacked state, a housing having an opening that exposes at least a part of the transmissive panel to the outside, and the transmissive panel is fixed to the housing A transmissive panel is formed in an arc shape whose neutral axis in the thickness direction is convex outward of the housing, and the holding member has an abutting surface that abuts against the outer peripheral end surface of the transmissive panel. It is characterized by.

  The present invention is a method for assembling a transmissive panel of a portable information terminal as described above, and the transmissive panel has a flat plate shape. When the transmissive panel is fixed to the holding member, the transmissive panel is curved and curved. It is also possible to adopt a method for assembling a transmissive panel of a portable information terminal, wherein the transmissive panel in a state is press-fitted into the holding member.

  According to the present invention, even when the transmissive panel is formed by resin molding with a high degree of freedom in shape, high quality can be ensured by suppressing deformation during operation of the transmissive panel.

In the portable information terminal concerning 1st Embodiment, it is principal part sectional drawing which shows the holding structure of a transmissive panel. In the portable information terminal concerning 2nd Embodiment, it is principal part sectional drawing which shows the holding structure of a transmissive panel. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a transmissive panel holding structure in a portable information terminal including only a transmissive panel, a touch sensor, a housing, and a front case (holding member). It is a figure which shows the other example of the shape of a transmissive panel, and is a figure which shows the example of the transmissive panel which curved both surfaces of the surface and the back surface beforehand. It is a figure which shows the example of the permeation | transmission panel which used the surface as the curved surface and made the back surface into a plane similarly. It is a figure which shows the example of the permeation | transmission panel which made the front surface the plane and made the back surface the curved surface similarly. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the example which made the outer peripheral end surface and butt | matching surface of the transmissive panel into the taper shape. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows an example of the holding structure of a transmissive panel.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a best mode for carrying out a portable information terminal and a method of assembling a transmission panel of a portable information terminal according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited only to these embodiments.

(First embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the touch panel type mobile terminal 10 </ b> A includes a housing 20 having an opening 20 a on one surface side, and a display unit 30 provided in the opening 20 a.

  The housing 20 includes a front cover 21 provided so as to surround the entire outer periphery of the display unit 30 on the opening 20a side, and a rear case 22 that covers the entire side of the housing 20 opposite to the opening 20a. It is configured by fitting together.

  The display unit 30 is provided so as to close the opening 20a, and is formed on a transmissive panel 31A formed of a resin material such as polycarbonate or PMMA having transparency, and on the back surface of the transmissive panel 31A (inside the inner space of the housing 20). A panel-shaped touch sensor 32 bonded by an adhesive material 40 and the like, and a display panel 33 including a liquid crystal display panel and the like provided on the back side of the transmissive panel 31A and the touch sensor 32 are provided.

The outer peripheral side of the transmissive panel 31A is held by a front case (holding member) 34 provided so as to surround the outer peripheral portion of the transmissive panel 31A. The front case 34 is integrally fixed to the housing 20 with screws or the like (not shown).
The display panel 33 is held by a holding tray 35 that is fixed to the rear case 22 by screws or the like (not shown).

Here, in the transmissive panel 31A, a surface 37 that forms a part of the outer surface of the mobile terminal 10A is formed in a curved surface with a central portion 37b protruding outward with respect to the outer peripheral portion 37a. In the transmissive panel 31 </ b> A, the back surface 38 facing inward of the mobile terminal 10 </ b> A is formed in a curved surface that protrudes outward like the front surface 37.
Thereby, the neutral axis C1 located in the center of the transmission panel 31A in the thickness direction has a curved arc shape that protrudes outward from the mobile terminal 10A.

  The outer peripheral end surface 31 a of the transmissive panel 31 </ b> A is formed so as to be positioned in a plane orthogonal to the surface of the touch sensor 32.

  The front case 34 that supports the transmissive panel 31A includes a frame portion 34a formed along the inner peripheral surface of the housing 20 so as to continue the outer peripheral side of the transmissive panel 31A in the circumferential direction, and the frame portion 34a to the transmissive panel 31A. And a receiving portion 34b extending toward the center side. And in the frame part 34a, the abutting surface 34c which abuts on the outer peripheral end surface 31a of the transmissive panel 31A is formed on the inner peripheral side thereof. Further, the receiving portion 34b is formed with a receiving surface 34d that is positioned in a plane along the surface of the touch sensor 32 and supports the outer peripheral portion of the transmissive panel 31A.

  In the assembly process of the mobile terminal 10A, such a transmission panel 31A is formed by bending the flat transmission panel 31A so that the neutral axis C1 in the thickness direction is convex toward the outside of the mobile terminal 10A. It is preferable to press fit inside the frame portion 34a of the front case 34 in the state.

In such a portable terminal 10A, when the user touches or presses the surface 37 of the transmissive panel 31A according to information such as buttons and icons formed on the display panel 33, the position is detected by the touch sensor 32. The operation corresponding to the detected position is executed based on the operation program of the mobile terminal 10A.
At this time, when the user touches or presses the surface 37 of the transmissive panel 31 </ b> A, the pressure P <b> 1 acts in a direction toward the inside of the mobile terminal 10 </ b> A along a direction orthogonal to the surface of the display panel 33. To do. Then, due to the pressure, the transmissive panel 31A tends to deform in a direction spreading toward the outer peripheral side, but the outer peripheral end surface 31a abuts against the abutting surface 34c of the front case 34, so the neutral axis C1 with respect to the abutting surface 34c. A force P2 in a direction along the line is applied. Then, against this force, a reaction force P3 acts from the abutting surface 34c of the front case 34, thereby preventing the transmission panel 31A from being deformed toward the outer peripheral side.

  Further, if the flat transmissive panel 31A is elastically deformed so as to be curved and is pressed into the inside of the frame portion 34a of the front case 34 as it is, the elastic force of the transmissive panel 31A can be obtained even when no touch operation is performed. Due to (restoring force), the transmissive panel 31A tends to be deformed in a direction spreading toward the outer peripheral side. Thereby, a force P2 in the direction along the neutral axis C1 acts on the abutting surface 34c from the outer peripheral end surface 31a, and a reaction force P3 acts on the force from the abutting surface 34c of the front case 34. Therefore, the rigidity of the transmissive panel 31A can be increased from the usual time.

As described above, the deformation of the transmissive panel 31 </ b> A toward the outer peripheral side is prevented, so that the rigidity of the transmissive panel 31 </ b> A can be increased and the bending thereof in the direction perpendicular to the surface 37 can be prevented. Therefore, when the surface 37 of the transmissive panel 31A is touched or pressed, it becomes difficult for the user to feel the deformation of the transmissive panel 31A, and high quality can be provided.
Since such a transmissive panel 31A can be formed of a resin or the like, it has a high degree of freedom in shape and can be formed at low cost.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the portable information terminal according to the present invention will be described.
The portable terminal 10B according to the second embodiment described below has an extension portion (for the purpose of reliably preventing the transmission panel 31B from dropping off) on the outer peripheral portion of the transmission panel 31B, compared to the configuration shown in the first embodiment. A panel pressing member 61 is further provided. Therefore, components common to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawing and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the mobile terminal 10B, the transmissive panel 31B is held on its outer peripheral side by a front case 34 provided so as to surround the outer peripheral portion of the transmissive panel 31B.
A step 60 parallel to the surface 37 is formed on the outer periphery of the surface 37 of the transmissive panel 31B. And the extension part (panel pressing member) 61 extended inside the outer peripheral part of the permeation | transmission panel 31B is formed in the inner peripheral part of the front cover 21. As shown in FIG. The extension portion 61 has a facing surface 62 that faces the step portion 60. The facing surface 62 can prevent the outer peripheral portion of the transmissive panel 31B from floating.

Even in the portable terminal 10B using the transmissive panel 31B having such a configuration, the transmissive panel 31B is formed in a curved arc shape in which the neutral axis C2 in the thickness direction is convex toward the outside of the portable terminal 10B. Similar to the first embodiment, deformation of the transmission panel 31B toward the outer peripheral side is prevented. Thereby, the rigidity of the transmissive panel 31 </ b> B can be increased, and the transmissive panel 31 </ b> B can be prevented from being bent in a direction orthogonal to the surface 37. Therefore, when the surface 37 of the transmissive panel 31B is touched or pressed, it becomes difficult for the user to feel the deformation of the transmissive panel 31B, and high quality can be provided.
Since such a transmissive panel 31B can be formed of a resin or the like, it has a high degree of freedom in shape and can be formed at a low cost.

  Furthermore, an extension 61 is formed on the inner periphery of the front cover 21, and this extension 61 faces the outer periphery of the transmissive panel 31 </ b> B, so that if the front cover 21 is likely to come off, Can be blocked.

(Other embodiments)
The portable information terminal of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments described with reference to the drawings, and various modifications can be considered within the technical scope.
For example, the mobile terminal 10 </ b> C may include only the display panel 33, the transmissive panel 31 </ b> A, the touch sensor 38, the housing 20, and the front case (holding member) 34 described in the first embodiment. Note that the housing 20 of the mobile terminal 10C may be integrally formed, and the front case 34 may not have the receiving portion 34b.
Also in this mobile terminal 10C, as in the first embodiment, the transmissive panel 31A is formed in an arc shape in which the neutral axis C1 in the thickness direction is convex outward of the housing 20, and the holding member 34 Has a contact surface 34c that contacts the outer peripheral end surface 31a of the transmission panel 31A. Even in this case, as in the first embodiment, even when the transmissive panel 31A is formed by resin molding having a high degree of freedom in shape, it is possible to ensure high quality by suppressing deformation during operation of the transmissive panel.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, the transmissive panels 31A and 31B have curved surfaces that are convex outward on both the front surface 37 and the rear surface 38, but the neutral axis in the thickness direction is outward of the mobile terminals 10A and 10B. Any structure may be used as long as it is convex toward the surface.
For example, the transmissive panel 31A is a flat plate that is curved and press-fitted into the front case 31, but as shown in FIG. 4, a curved surface in which both the front surface 37 and the back surface 38 are convex outward in advance. It is also possible to use a flat surface and a shape in which the neutral axis in the thickness direction is convex toward the outside of the mobile terminals 10A and 10B.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the transmission panel 31 </ b> D may have a configuration in which the front surface 37 is a curved surface that protrudes outward and the back surface 38 is a flat surface.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the transmissive panel 31E can be a curved concave surface with the front surface 37 being a flat surface and the back surface 38 being outwardly convex.

Further, in order to prevent the outer peripheral portion of the transmissive panel 31A from rising, as shown in FIG. 7, the outer peripheral end surface 31a of the transmissive panel 31A is tapered so as to be narrowed from the back surface 38 side toward the front surface 37 side. The abutting surface 34c of 34 can also be made into a taper shape parallel to the outer peripheral end surface 31a.
In addition, the transmissive panels 31A, 31B,... May not be press-fitted into the front case 34, but may be simply fitted with the outer peripheral end surface 31a in close contact with the abutting surface 34c of the front case 34. In that case, the outer peripheral end face 31a and the abutting face 34c may be fixed with an adhesive or the like. Further, a concave portion and a convex portion that mesh with each other are formed on the abutting surface 34c of the front case 34 and the outer peripheral end surface 31a of the transmission panels 31A, 31B,..., And these are mechanically meshed with each other, whereby the transmission panels 31A, 31B, It is possible to prevent the floating of ....

  Further, the abutting surface 34c of the front case 34 is not limited to being formed on the entire outer periphery of the transmission panels 31A, 31B,..., And may be provided intermittently at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction.

  Further, the transmission panels 34A, 34B,... Are not limited to the front case 34, and may be held by the front cover 21 or other members, for example.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the mobile terminal with the mobile phone in mind has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a notebook PC (personal computer), a tablet PC may be used as long as it is a touch panel type mobile terminal. The present invention can also be applied to game machines, electronic dictionaries, PDAs (personal data assistance), handy scanners, and the like.
In addition to this, as long as it does not depart from the gist of the present invention, the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed to another configuration as appropriate.

10A, 10B, 10C Mobile terminal 20 Housing 20a Opening 21 Front cover 22 Rear case 30 Display units 31A, 31B, 31C, 31D, 31E Transmission panel 32 Touch sensor 33 Display panel 34 Front case (holding member)
34c Abutting surface 34d Receiving surface 37 Front surface 37a Outer peripheral portion 37b Central portion 38 Back surface 40 Adhesive material 60 Step portion 61 Extension portion (panel pressing member)
62 Opposing surfaces C1, C2 Neutral shaft

Claims (5)

A display panel for displaying image information;
A transmissive panel having optical transparency;
A touch sensor that is provided between the transmissive panel and the display panel and detects that a touch operation has been performed on the transmissive panel from the outside;
A housing having an opening that accommodates the display panel, the touch sensor, and the transmissive panel in a stacked state and exposes at least a part of the transmissive panel to the outside;
A holding member for fixing the transmissive panel to the housing,
The transmission panel is formed in an arc shape whose neutral axis in the thickness direction is convex toward the outside of the casing,
The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the holding member has an abutting surface that abuts against an outer peripheral end surface of the transmissive panel.   The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the transmission panel is press-fitted into the holding member in a state where the outer peripheral end surface is in contact with the abutting surface.   3. The mobile phone according to claim 1, further comprising a panel pressing member positioned on the outer side of the casing and facing the outer peripheral portion of the surface facing the outer side of the casing in the transmissive panel. Information terminal.   In the transmissive panel, at least one of a front surface facing the outside of the housing and a back surface facing the inside of the housing is formed in an arc shape protruding toward the outside of the housing, so that the neutral axis is The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the portable information terminal has an arc shape that protrudes outward from the casing. A method for assembling a transmissive panel of a portable information terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The transmission panel has a flat plate shape,
When fixing the transmissive panel to the holding member, the transmissive panel is curved,
A method of assembling a transmissive panel of a portable information terminal, wherein the transmissive panel in a curved state is press-fitted into the holding member.

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